


when you're around me, i'm radioactive

by liveyourtemptation



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst but not angsty, Does that make sense?, Happy Ending, M/M, cisco deserves the world
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-28
Updated: 2017-01-28
Packaged: 2018-09-20 11:25:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9488921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liveyourtemptation/pseuds/liveyourtemptation
Summary: “What's your problem, Harry?” Cisco hisses. Because of course Cisco can't have nice things, and Harry always has to mess with him. There is probably no timeline where that is any different.“What's your problem?” Harry hisses back. And what surprises Cisco is that it's not deadpan, no raised eyebrow, no smirk, just plain confusion on Harry's face.Harry comes back to Earth-1 after Flashpoint and Cisco has to realize that maybe their relationship used to be a bit different than he remembers.





	

**Author's Note:**

> this is just a silly little thing i wrote that's not particularly well-written but i just started season 3 and. i'm salty. i never needed to see Cisco so broken. and i'm so tired by Barry's bullshit.

Cisco is actually happy with seeing Harry again. There is your fucked up thought for the day. But right now all the trouble he had with Harry seem like fun games in comparison to what his life has become after Zoom. Okay, Harry is annoying and probably playing a long con to cause brain damage to Cisco by throwing things at his head but that's just because he is intimated by Cisco's sheer intelligent prowess. Cisco knows Harry and he knows that he is not going to run back in time and fuck up Cisco's life. So, Harry visiting: good thing. Hanging out with Harry and Jesse: better thing. Training Jesse to become a speedster superhero: best thing.

 

Though there is one weird thing, well not really, Harry is always behaving weird so it's pretty normal. But when Harry and Jesse arrive through the portal and there making their round greeting everyone and Harry comes to Cisco he steps right up in Cisco's personal space as if he is going for a hug. Cisco takes a step back and raises a hand because, excuse him, alright there friends now, but- not hugging buddies? That's like a whole different stage of friendship they have yet to reach. Harry's looks confused but doesn't say anything about it and Cisco almost forgets it until they're up in the cortex, talking a case.

 

Cisco is leaning casually at the main console, watching Barry and Joe argue about the new meta when Harry comes over to him and drops one arm around him. Cisco freezes. What. The. Hell. He shrugs Harry's arm off and glares at him.

 

“What's your problem, Harry?” Cisco hisses. Because of course Cisco can't have nice things, and Harry always has to mess with him. There is probably no timeline where that is any different.

 

“What's _your_ problem?” Harry hisses back. And what surprises Cisco is that it's not deadpan, no raised eyebrow, no smirk, just plain confusion on Harry's face.

 

“You ever heard something about personal space?” Cisco whispers and scoots away from Harry. “I remember you being pretty good with that last time I saw you.”

 

“That's not funny, Cisco,” Harry says. “Are you mad at me?”

 

By this point everyone has noticed their argument and is staring at them.

 

“No, why would I be mad?” Cisco feels the start of a headache. Harry goddamn Wells.

 

“I thought you said we wanted to be open about-” Harry starts but Barry interrupts him.

 

“Guys, guys. There is something you need to know.”

 

Harry's head snaps around to glare at Barry. “Allen, what did you do?”

 

Barry opens and closes his mouth for a couple of time like a fish gasping for air. “I kinda ran back in time again and when I came back some things were- different.”

 

“Again.” Harry says flatly. “Even apes have the capacity to learn the simple connection between cause and effect. Why you constantly fail at that is beyond me.”

 

Internally Cisco is applauding Harry because, damn right, but he pulls himself together. “Yeah, we're living in a new timeline that's just gradually different from the one where- when- whatever, you guys met us.”

 

“But we still remember the old one,” Jesse concludes. “That's messed up.”

 

Harry has been watching Cisco for the last minute and there is a shadow lingering over his face that could be mistaken for sadness. But what the hell would Harry be sad about?

 

“So,” Harry says quiet, “Of course you don't remember-” He chuckles humorless.

 

“What are you talking about?”Cisco asks bewildered.

 

Harry nods sharply and then turns to move towards Barry. “I'm going to kill you, Allen.” He hisses and lands one punch before Barry can move out of the way. Harry still catches him at his collar and they're all reminded that even without superpowers Harry can be scary as hell.

 

“How could you take this from us?” Harry hisses and then pushes Barry to the ground. Okay, if someone could fill Cisco in what is happening he would appreciate it. He has the feeling it might have something to do with him. But before he can ask Harry storms out of the room with Jesse at his heels who looks as chilly as her dad.

 

Barry slowly gets up from the ground with that guilty look on his face that he wears most of these days.

 

“I know we've said we don't want to know about the other timeline,” Cisco says. “But this seems important. You know I have to work with him. I'm the one who he throws the most pens at in this team. I should know if he thinks we have a problem.”

 

“It's not a problem exactly,” Barry says slowly. “Look, Cisco, to tell the truth I'm not so sure what was actually going on between you two in the old timeline. You'll have to ask him.”

 

“That sound ominous,” Caitlin says with furrowed brows.

 

“Thanks a lot Barry,” Cisco says as he turns around to go look for a very pissed of Harry. “It's not like we already had enough problems.”

 

In the end Cisco doesn't look for Harry all too long because his brain finally kicks in and he's too smart for his own good. He knows what this looks like, what this amounts to. He can count one and one together. Harry being all touchy and weirdly soft and getting so angry at Barry. Cisco hears Barry's voice like a loop in his head. _I'm not so sure what was actually going on between you two._ Between you two. Geez, this is awkward. So there is a timeline where Harry and he are- what? Dating? That's enough for Cisco to need a minute and he goes to the kitchen to stare into empty cupboards until they tell him how this could happen.

 

Cisco never thought about Harry like this, never ever. Okay, he did note – objectively – that Harry isn't bad looking. But he didn't, he never- His mind keeps running against walls. What annoys him the most is that he didn't know about it. Until now it didn't really bother him that he doesn't see the other timeline even though it is weird. He'd rather not see the timeline where he got killed by his former boss/mentor. That are images that fuck up your sleep. He'd much rather remember getting cozy with Harry. Yeah, he would just so that he wouldn't be in the awkward situation that Harry now remembers- who knows what and Cisco has no clue about it. How is he going to be able to look Harry in the face again, how is he supposed to work with him. Cisco knows he is overreacting but it feels really good to worry about something else than- y'know. So he will be dramatic about this and maybe he enjoys the way his heart picks up its speed when he thinks that Harry wants him, that anyone would want him.

 

Alright, this is getting a bit too real for midday in his workplace. He closes the cupboard again and turns to find Harry standing in the doorway. Great. Amazing. And then it hits Cisco. The way that Harry must feel right now. Probably not so good.

 

“Ramon.” Harry looks completely emotionless. “I'm sorry about today. Just forget about it. It's not your fault you don't remember.”

 

Cisco is frozen on the spot and there is heat creeping into his cheeks. Great, now that the thought is in his head he can not not think about Harry and him. _Just forget it._ As if it would be so simple. He wonders if there is a way he can ask Harry about what it was exactly that they had without hurting him. There probably isn't. So instead he croaks out a “Don't worry about it,” and could slap himself for it when Harry just nods and walks away.

 

So the days pass and everyone acts as if it didn't happen, as if Harry Wells didn't have a public breakdown about not being together with Cisco Ramon anymore and the more Cisco thinks about it the more absurd it seems to him. What? Why? How? He tries desperately to vibe the other timeline but to no avail. Real fucking great.

 

They train Jesse and Harry has multiple breakdowns about his daughter becoming a speedster and Cisco doesn't remember him being so emotional or so adorable to tell the truth.

 

Harry is still behaving weirdly around Cisco but he doesn't mind, like, cut the guy some slack, anyone would be upset about not dating Cisco Ramon, right? No, not right. Cisco likes to act all confident and shit but deep down he is an insecure mess, just like any human being. So to see Harry being so obviously hung up on him is- it's strange of course, and most of the time Cisco doesn't even believe it but by now he has talked about this extensively with Caitlin and she agrees that he is interpreting this situation right. But it's also weirdly satisfying.

 

And okay, Cisco might get a bit interested, too. And he's not sure if it is genuine or just him flailing because for a change someone actually wants him. He doesn't know what's going on except that his gravitating towards Harry whenever they are in the same room, and maybe he has always done that but now he notices it, and he notices Harry looking at him when he thinks that Cisco isn't looking, and he notices his heart beating faster when Harry is too close. And Cisco is a scientist. He can take these facts and he can draw a conclusion.

 

There are moments where they both get so lost in work they forget all that and it feels like it used to, throwing stupid comments back and forth because they don't need to talk about what they're doing, the way they never needed to talk about essential things with each other because they always just knew what the other was thinking. And when he gets out of those moments Cisco thinks he might always been a bit in love with Harry.

 

And then Cisco wonders why he doesn't just take what could be his. But he has to make sure this is not going to be a complete train wreck first.

 

“Barry, I know this is awkward but you gotta tell me.”

 

Barry looks up from his work. Cisco has come to his lab at the CCPD because he doesn't want Harry to walk in on this conversation. Julian is shooting them annoyed looks across the room.

 

“Let's go, uh, in the hallway,” Barry says quickly and drags Cisco out of the room. “What do want to know?”

 

“You said you don't know what was happening between me and Harry,” Cisco starts and by the way Barry's smile falters he knows he is on the right track. “But you know something.”

 

“Alright,” Barry gives in.

 

“We weren't just friends in the other timeline, right?”

 

Barry nods. “You didn't tell us anything yet but it was pretty obvious. Look, Cisco, I'm sorry-”

 

“Yeah, heard that one before,” Cisco says and he is so tired of being angry at Barry but Barry makes it so easy to be angry at him.

 

This evening Cisco scrapes together all of his braveness and pushes Harry against a bench in the workshop. It's amazing how willingly Harry lets himself be manhandled. Cisco's hands curl around Harry's hips and it feels so right.

 

“You would just give up on us like this,” Cisco whispers and he has to get up on his tiptoes to reach Harry's face, to let his lips stop just short of Harry's. And it's so worth it for the way it makes Harry shutter.

 

“What are you doing?” Harry asks obviously fighting the impulse to pull Cisco closer.

 

“You would never have said anything, right,” Cisco says quietly, letting his gaze drift over Harry's face. “You would have just suffered quietly.” And this is more fun than Cisco is willing to admit to have big, strong Harry at his mercy like this. “That's what we were back then, right?” He leans over and kisses Harry's neck, slowly, deliberately. Finally Harry puts his hands on Cisco, pulls him closer, tangles one hand in his hair. Cisco buries his face in Harry's neck, soaks in the warmth, lets himself be hold. It feels so good he could cry. Goddamnit, he came here to seduce Harry but this was quickly turning into something else.

 

“Are- Are you okay?” Harry asks.

 

“Just shut up,” Cisco snaps and wraps his arms around Harry's back.

 

Surprisingly Harry does what he is told for once. Cisco is still close to tears and tries to breathe evenly but his heart is aching because it's been a while since he felt so safe and loved and he never wants to let go again.

 

Of course Harry cannot shut up for long. “At first I thought you were making fun of me,” He whispers close to Cisco's ear.

 

“As if I would ever make fun of you,” Cisco says and fuck, he sounds wrecked.

 

Harry pushes him just far enough away so he can look at him but it's still too far in Cisco's opinion.

 

“I'm here,” Harry says and strokes a strand of hair behind Cisco's ear. “You know what really broke my heart? Not even that you don't remember us but all that you had to go through. This look on your face. You deserve to be happy, Cisco.”

 

Cisco closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. Harry rests one hand on his cheek.

 

“I love you, Cisco.”

 

Than he kisses him and Cisco has never felt quite that helpless. So much had been taken from him but being kissed by Harry feels like becoming at least a bit back.

 

It's over too soon. Cisco opens his eyes and sees Harry watching him curiously.

 

“I just need a second to get with the program, alright,” Cisco says. “This might not be new to you but it is for me.”

 

“But you like the program?” Harry asks.

 

“For fucks sake, Harry.” Cisco rolls his eyes and pulls him into a kiss again.

 

(From that point on Cisco hops to Earth-2 from time to time. To help Jesse. And to visit his boyfriend. He prides himself to be both member on Team Flash and Team Jesse Quick. And when he is with Harry he almost feels okay again.)

 


End file.
